Is Your Marketing Campaign Roadworthy?

Ever go on a long road trip? Back when my friends were single with no children, someone would holler “road trip” and we would start packing.  We unfolded one of those huge maps (yes there was life before Google Maps) and got out the yellow highlighter. All we needed was to figure out where we wanted to go and then make sure somebody’s car could get us there and back.  Is that car roadworthy? Have you done the same for your marketing campaign?

You don’t take a trip long distance trip all willy nilly.  You drop your car off at the mechanic, have him check the tires (including the spare), top off the fluids and get a tune up. You fix everything before you hit the road.

Today’s blog post has been brewing for a while, as in over a year! It’s something I’ve wanted to talk about because it’s one of the reasons my business took such a sharp turn.
Clients would approach me for help in marketing campaign for an existing offer or a new product launch. The conversation would go something like this.

Me: I would love to help with your marketing campaign. When is the launch date and what are you goals?
Client: In 4 weeks and my goals is for 10 people to sign up for my online course.
Me: Oh OK (silently making face)

I usually have them fill out a questionnaire before we hop on the free consultation call. That allows me to put on my car mechanic hat and take a peek under the hood of your business. I need to know if sister girl (or brother man) can make it to their destination with what they’ve got? That’s right. Show me what you’re working with!

Before your schedule the marketing campaign for your offer we’ve got to check some things out. Based on your website, social media and digital marketing can we meet your goal?

How To Carry Out Your 6 Point Inspection

1. Target Market: Can I tell from your home and about pages within a few seconds what their niche is and who your intended audience is.

If you aren’t sure who/what your niche is, this is the time to stop and figure it out.  You have to talk a person’s language for them to get what you’re saying. You also won’t find a broad target market all in one place online – one segment will be comfortable in one Facebook Group while another segment will be looking to build community and get support in another.

There is no substitute for knowing your people. This is the foundation for the success of any business. If you sign into social media, and are confused about who to connect with and where to find them, you don’t know who your ideal clients are. Saying “I work with service based women entrepreneurs” is too broad.  Find your niche and narrow your market down for this one specific offer.

2. Website: I go right to your sales page. Is the messaging right?  I pretend I’m your ideal client and see if it speaks to me. Also, do I know what to do next?

You can have the best coaching, consulting or other kind of offer but if web copy doesn’t hit your people right in the feelings, you’re going to lose them.  Use your clients exact words in your sale copy. That’s why listening is one of the best ways to do market research.  Look at the questions your target audience is asking on Twitter or in Facebook groups and pay attention to what your clients say when you’re working with them.

3. List building: Are you collecting email addresses? Is the opt-in box front and center? Is what you’re offering as a freebie a good lead into what your paid offer is?

One of my clients came to me to help promote her upcoming launch. She had 200 or so people on her email list and ended up with 2 people on her webinar. She was so disappointed.

They say “the gold is in the list”. Of everything you do online and in your business in general, having a prospect’s email address is the ticket! If you don’t understand the importance of collecting email addresses then please make it your business to. It is the ultimate tool to use to get your clients to fall in love with what you do and cultivate your relationship so they go from prospects to clients.

On another note, I had no clue about this when I first started my business and I have to thank Anne Samoilov for breaking this down – approximately 1% – 3% of your email list converts. Do the math. If you want 50 people to sign up for your program or buy your workbook or online course, how many people do you need on your list? Yep, it’s a lot.

4. Social Media – I take a look at 3 -5 of your profiles?  How big is your following? How engaged are you?

You don’t need to be everywhere. But you need be somewhere and you show up – consistently.  Months before you start promoting your offer, pick two platforms and squeeze the juice out of them. Give, give and give.

Build your followers: This same client had 200 Twitter followers, a handful of Facebook Fans and 200 LinkedIn Connections. You must have an audience where you can connect with your target audience.

Engage with your followers – Posting and updating your status is not engaging! Prior to the marketing campaign for your launch make time in your schedule to build relationships. Like, comment and share.

5. Sales funnel – What are the other offers you have and the price points?

I look at your price jump. If you are promoting a $700 offer and the only thing you’ve ever offered is a free download or a $50 workbook/online course, there might be a problem. Will people question the investment?

Your suite of offers should include a mix of free opt-in gifts, low-priced (less than $100), mid-priced (less than $500), high-priced (less than $2,000) and premium priced (over $2,000). This is what helps turn your prospects into not just clients, but loyal repeat clients.  Give people more opportunities to do business with you as they build their trust in your ability to transform their life or business.

Prove you get your client’s struggles and can solve their problems at a lower price and they won’t question the investment for your higher priced offers.

6. Realistic timeline – Based on points 1 – 5, how realistic is it?

• Do you know who the target market is for this particular offer? Have it narrowed it down enough so you can speak to them and know how to find them.
• Does your sales page speak to your niche/ideal client for that offer? Does it have the basic elements a sales page should have?
• Are you giving your audience a free taste of what you do in exchange for their email address? Is it reverse engineered to the offer that you’re promoting?
• Have you been spending time on social media connecting with your audience? Finding your target audience and sharing great information.
• Do you have your products offered in a way that brings/nurtures/eases your clients through your sales funnel?

You might need to pause and address a few items.

Set things in order before you start down the road for a marketing campaign and you won’t be beating yourself up later.

Do you have an offer with a specific date in the future to promote?  Run your own 6 point inspection and tell me in the comments below, is it roadworthy?